4G0 



^Ir. H. A. liavlis oyi a 



and structureless, hut stains deeply with cosin. It is some- 

 MJiat opaque, and of a tough consistency, but becomes 

 softened in caustic ])otasli ; hence, it seems to me, there is 

 reason to think that it is not chitinous. The contents 

 of this upper portion of the spcrmatophore consist mainly of 

 a spherical mass (fij?. fi, G.) of a peculiar refractive substance, 

 which, in the spirit-.^ijccimcns at least, is extremely haid 

 and brittle. It is composed of numerous granular masses 

 closely pressed together, wiiich can, however, without much 

 difficulty be separated. In general appearance the substance 

 of this mass is not unlike the yolk of au egg. Its separable 



Fia-. 6. 



A complete sp^'rulntopllOl•e, viewed as a lran?paient object. Cap., iijij tr 

 capsule ; C, solid mass of giauiilar gubstance ; Sj)., speriimto- 

 zoa contained in lumen of lower portion ; 7'., rim of trunij et- 

 sbaped tube. 



block-like constituents may have been formed as fluid or 

 semifluid globules, and have assumed their present irregular 

 shajics under pressure, the %vhole mass having become hard 

 and solid as the result of fixation. 



In the case of D. uusteni Beddard has described a very 

 similar spherical capsule, the wall of which is supposed to be 

 chitinous and to be secreted by the columnar cells in the 

 blind terminal sac of the spermatheca. But this capsule is 

 said to be full of sperm, and there is no reference to the 



